Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – A study commissioned by rights group the Setara Institute revealed that during the past decade, the state of freedom of religion or belief being protected in Yogyakarta was in continuous decline.

Setara Institute researcher Halili said during 2007 to 2016, 53 cases, which comprised 35 types of religious rights violations, occurred in areas across Yogyakarta. Of the total cases, 16 incidents happened in Yogyakarta city while 14 cases took place in Sleman regency. Kulon Progo was the only regency where violations were not recorded.

"During the last 10 years, we have been conducting research across Indonesia. On average, 200 cases of religious rights violations occur every year and Yogyakarta is one of the 'red areas', which means it has a high number of intolerance cases," Halili said in a press conference in Yogyakarta on Monday.

He further said of Yogyakarta's total 53 violations, 17 cases were committed by the state, seven were crimes by omission, while the remaining were directed attacks, including by non-state actors.

On the violations committed by non-state actors, eight cases were perpetrated by the Islamic Jihad Front (FJI), followed by the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) with five cases and three committed by the Muslim People's Forum (FUI). Meanwhile, three groups, namely the Anti-Immoral Acts Movement (GAM), Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and United Development Party (PPP) youth wing Gerakan Pemuda Kabah (GPK) committed two violations each.

Halili said it was hoped Yogyakarta Sultan Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who acts as the province's de facto governor, could greater support minority groups as they were often the targets of violence. (ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/02/28/yogyakarta-becoming-more-intolerant-study.html